Kara lay awake in Lena Luthor's bed, smiling. The sun shone brightly into the apartment. There was a perfect view of National City from where Kara lay but she could not take her eyes off of Lena. Her legs wrapped around Kara as she slept, as if she didn't want to let go, as if she felt safe. Her dark hair had fallen in her face. Kara stretched out her hand and wiped it away. Kara loved watching Lena sleep. She looked peaceful. She looked as if she weren't carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. She looked untouched, undamaged. Kara knew that the terrible things Lena had gone through in her life, the evils she had overcome were what made her who she was. It was what made her the strong woman she was today, the woman that Kara Danvers was madly in love with. She hated that Lena had been hurt the way she had but she would never wish for it to have never happened. Eliza Danvers always used to tell her that pain could not be averted, it needed to be played out, and it needed to be felt. She told Kara that one needed to feel it in order to fulfil their destiny. To become the person they were meant to be. Lena had felt a lot of pain and that pain was shaping her into the person she was meant to be. Kara knew that that woman was going to be powerful. Still, seeing Lena look at peace as she slept made Kara happy. It was her unyielding desire to guard which made her want to protect Lena against anything and everything unholy until her very last fighting breath.
"Morning beautiful," Kara whispered when Lena's eyes began to open.
Lena wiggled and tightened her grip on Kara. She put her head on Kara's chest and mumbled a reply.
Kara smiled and kissed her head. The two lay like that in silence for a few more minutes. Kara tracing patterns with her fingers softly on Lena's bare back.
Finally Lena spoke. "Thank you, Kara."
"Why are you thanking me?"
Lena tightened her grip on Kara again. "For being here… for me. Always."
"You don't need to thank me for that, Lena. Thank you for allowing me to…"
Lena pulled tighter on Kara then released. She sat up and leaned her head back against the soft headboard. Kara sat up now too. She found Lena's hand and held it. She stared ahead into Lena's large open-plan apartment. It was a beautiful home. Kara hadn't noticed the previous night. It was the first time she had been in Lena's apartment but she wasn't interested in admiring the archaeology or beautification of it. She was wholly focused on the brave woman who was falling apart in front of her. Lena had received a letter from her brother, Lex. She hadn't had contact with him for years. She had written many letters to him but received no reply. She had visited the prison many times but he had refused to see her. Then suddenly a letter from him, too many years late. It was not to apologize, nor was it to congratulate his little sister whom loved him very much for achieving success with her company and ultimately her life. No. It was to express his hate for her, his raging anger. He had connections which informed him that Lena had started dating a Kryptonian, his arch-enemies cousin. His anger went on for pages, each page ripping Lena apart further. Finally his anger subsided and was replaced with a new plan, a plan to rid the world of the Kryptonian race. He believed Lena had been blinded and he hoped his words would open her eyes to the threat her own girlfriend posed on the earth. Lena believed none of it. She drove directly to the DEO and handed the letter to Alex herself. They could learn of his plans, they could fight him. Lena knew there was an ulterior motive to his letter. She did not want to know what it was. She did not want to get involved. Not long after her visit to the DEO Kara, being informed about the situation by Alex, found Lena locked up in her office, forcing herself to work through the tears. Kara held her and Lena allowed herself to fall apart in her girlfriend's arms. Finally Lena had asked Kara to take her home, where she asked Kara to make love to her. Kara did not hesitate, Lena knew what she wanted and Kara wanted to make Lena feel how much she loved her. Later, Lena wrapped herself around Kara and cried herself to sleep.
Now Kara really looked at the apartment. It screamed millionaire. Lena often told Kara that it was too expensive to feel homey in, that's why in their six months of dating Kara had never been there until then.
"That's a beautiful piano," Kara said as she pointed to the black grand piano in the centre of the apartment.
Lena sighed. "It's stunning, but I haven't played it in years."
Kara locked eyes with Lena, drawing more information out of her.
"Lex bought it for me for my eighth birthday. When I first moved in I would sit and watch him play for hours. He taught me how to play and I became somewhat of a prodigy. I quickly outshined him and began to take proper classes. Lex wasn't angered at my talent, he supported it, and he wanted me to play for him all the time. He was the only one in the family who I felt accepted me, who loved me."
Kara frowned. "I'm sure she still loves you, Lena."
"No," Lena protested. "No, he doesn't. He doesn't love me anymore."
Lena climbed out of the bed with a sheet wrapped around her. She walked toward the piano and touched one of the keys lightly, not enough for it to make a sound.
"I loved this piano. I loved playing. I felt something when I played. An emotion so beautiful… I haven't played in years because Lex had hurt me so much. I was afraid. I make sure it is serviced often because I was always waiting for that moment to come when I would feel strong enough."
Kara sat in bed, hugging the sheets, missing the warmth of Lena's body, but utterly compelled to listen to her words, to observe her actions.
Lena sat on the stool in front of the piano and stared at the keys.
"But getting that letter yesterday made me realize something… It's not because of my connection to Lex, that I haven't played in years… It is not about strength… It is because of that feeling, that feeling inside of me when I play. I lost that feeling when I lost Lex. I couldn't play because that feeling was the only thing that drove me play."
Lena lifted her hands and placed them on the piano. She paused for a moment, and then her fingers got to work. A beautiful sound filled the apartment. Kara sat on the bed, listening to the spellbinding melody, watching Lena. The emotion poured out of her and displayed itself on her face. Her whole body moved with passion, not just her hands.
When the sweet melody came to an end Kara and Lena both had tears in their eyes. The music had done something to them.
Lena locked eyes with Kara from across the room. Tear-filled greens met tear-filled blues.
Lena smiled as tears began to fall.
"It wasn't Lex. It was the feeling. It was love. It was the love in my heart that drove me to play. Yesterday, when I read that letter I was not hurt because of the mean things Lex said. The things he once promised me he'd never let anyone say about me. I was hurt because of what he said about you. Those things were not true. You are humble and caring and you would do anything you can to protect me. I was hurt because of what he said about you and not because I realized that he doesn't love me. I realized just now that I have been lacking one thing. That thing is you, that thing is love. I know that you already know this but I have never said it out loud and I feel that I need to let you know that I love you so very much, Kara Danvers. You gave it back to me. Emotion.
Tears were now falling out of Kara's eyes. She remembered back to what Eliza had taught her. Pain is what makes a person... But love is what heals them. Her love was not only healing Lena, Lena's love was healing her.
"I love you, Lena Luthor."
